The 21 civic leaders taking part in CoGenerate’s Voices fellowship are a diverse group. They range in age from 15 to 81, and each focuses on a different aspect of civic work. But they’re all well-versed in the ins and outs of effective intergenerational collaboration....
https://youtu.be/DMmhqffPUWc As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, we are the most age-diverse society in human history — and the most age-segregated. Our next chapter will depend on our ability to work across generations.In commemoration of the United...
On a Sunday evening in mid-May, two chefs collaborated on “The Future of the Creamery,” a five-course tasting event at Long Count, an all-vegan wine bar and restaurant in New York City’s East Village. Forty years apart in age, both chefs have towering reputations —...
Simple question: Do you miss human connection when you use self-checkout at the grocery store? Complex question: How is cogeneration threatened by AI, profit-driven “efficiencies,” and automation — and what can we do about it? Allison Pugh, author of the book The Last...
Why do you do the civic or community work that you do?
For me, it’s about expanding civic access to teenagers like myself. Interacting with my peers through my organization, Civicate Youth, taught me that teenagers have amazing ideas for their communities, but just don’t know how to voice their concerns. In LA, we have special local bodies called Neighborhood Councils (NCs) that act as liaisons between constituents and the city council. They vote on matters such as public safety and help voice citizens’ concerns. Youth can be a part of this NC system by running for Youth Representative at 14 and voting in NC elections at 16, but many Angeleno teens are not aware of that opportunity. Schools and other youth spaces they are a part of never advertise these opportunities, slowly pushing teens out of spaces that often end up making decisions that affect them. Because I’ve fortunately had the opportunity to be a part of civic spaces like these NCs, I do my work to help more of my peers get into civic engagement through Civicate Youth.
We often have booths in youth spaces including TUMO LA, which is an after-school program helping youth use their creativity and technological skills, and the 2026 EmpowerLA conference which gathered 100 students from across LA interested in civic engagement. There, we share resources about finding one’s NC, voter registration, and contacting NCs.
Making community decisions is all about including everyone, no matter how young or old they are. This makes cogeneration one of the most important things in terms of healthy discussions for the betterment of a community. It’s already helping me have conversations with olders about what the best way for us to proceed will be. I’m a part of the LA Congress of Neighborhoods Planning Committee, an organization where youngers and olders gather once a month to discuss details for the organization’s event that happens every September. Cogeneration, and carefully listening to each other before proceeding helps us understand each other better and reach agreements faster. This can be about anything, ranging from which workshops to select or the lunch catering options.
Got one tip to help other civic leaders collaborate more effectively with older or younger people?
Pause and completely understand what the other person is saying before jumping in and offering your own thoughts. The best kind of listening and cooperating happens when both parties take the time to fully understand what the other is saying and build off their conversation from there.
What’s something giving you joy or hope right now?
Summer! Finals are almost over and I’m excited to take a break. I have a lot of college essays to write, but anything is better than studying for my physics final.